William Blair Has Optimistic Outlook of Ferguson Q1 Earnings

Key Points

• William Blair has increased its Q1 2026 earnings estimate for Ferguson to $2.85 per share, up from $2.78, while the full-year consensus estimate is $9.40 per share.
• Analysts have given Ferguson a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy", with ten analysts recommending Buy and an average target price of $235.71.
• Ferguson is set to pay a quarterly dividend of $0.83 per share on November 7th, representing an annualized dividend of $3.32 and a yield of 1.4%.

Ferguson plc (NASDAQ:FERG - Free Report) - Analysts at William Blair upped their Q1 2026 earnings per share estimates for shares of Ferguson in a research report issued on Wednesday, September 17th. William Blair analyst R. Merkel now expects that the company will earn $2.85 per share for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $2.78. The consensus estimate for Ferguson's current full-year earnings is $9.40 per share. William Blair also issued estimates for Ferguson's Q2 2026 earnings at $1.79 EPS and Q3 2026 earnings at $2.67 EPS.

A number of other research firms also recently commented on FERG. Truist Financial increased their price objective on Ferguson from $240.00 to $260.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 17th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on Ferguson from $235.00 to $255.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 17th. UBS Group increased their price objective on Ferguson from $204.00 to $225.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Wednesday, September 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Ferguson in a report on Wednesday, June 18th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $280.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada upped their price target on shares of Ferguson from $231.00 to $243.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, September 17th. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and six have issued a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $235.71.

Ferguson Stock Up 1.6%

Shares of FERG traded up $3.64 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $233.05. The company's stock had a trading volume of 2,277,412 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,773,648. Ferguson has a 12-month low of $146.00 and a 12-month high of $243.40. The stock has a market cap of $45.95 billion, a PE ratio of 27.98, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.69 and a beta of 1.15. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 1.68 and a quick ratio of 0.91. The company's 50 day moving average is $226.91 and its 200 day moving average is $198.52.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ferguson

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Canal Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Ferguson by 3.0% in the second quarter. Canal Capital Management LLC now owns 37,568 shares of the company's stock valued at $8,181,000 after buying an additional 1,090 shares in the last quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. lifted its holdings in Ferguson by 29.9% in the second quarter. Osaic Holdings Inc. now owns 5,340 shares of the company's stock valued at $1,161,000 after acquiring an additional 1,229 shares during the period. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC boosted its position in shares of Ferguson by 4.1% during the 2nd quarter. Orion Porfolio Solutions LLC now owns 5,954 shares of the company's stock worth $1,296,000 after purchasing an additional 232 shares in the last quarter. Squarepoint Ops LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ferguson during the 2nd quarter worth $7,381,000. Finally, Neuberger Berman Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Ferguson by 39.8% during the 2nd quarter. Neuberger Berman Group LLC now owns 15,122 shares of the company's stock worth $3,294,000 after purchasing an additional 4,307 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.98% of the company's stock.

Ferguson Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 7th. Investors of record on Friday, September 26th will be given a $0.83 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, September 26th. This represents a $3.32 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.4%. Ferguson's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 35.55%.

About Ferguson

Ferguson plc distributes plumbing and heating products in the United States and Canada. It offers plumbing and heating solutions to customers in the residential, commercial, civil/infrastructure, and industrial end markets. The company also provides expertise, solutions, and products, including infrastructure, plumbing, appliances, fire, fabrication, and others, as well as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning products under the Ferguson brand name.